


Interlude: For the Sake of the Demonstration

by factorielle



Series: Brand New Endings [10]
Category: Ookiku Furikabutte
Genre: Beer, Conversations, F/M, Gossip, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-12
Updated: 2010-08-12
Packaged: 2017-10-11 01:36:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/106881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/factorielle/pseuds/factorielle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A debate on the nature of relationships, healing, and <i>what the hell is wrong with our friends</i>?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Interlude: For the Sake of the Demonstration

**Author's Note:**

> Since I write this universe in no order whatsoever, please be warned that this fic references events and characters that haven't been introduced yet; though I think there's enough exposition to get over that.

Even considering the drizzle that had permeated the atmosphere the entire day, the streets were uncharacteristically empty for a Saturday night. There should have been more people out here, businessmen on work outings and bar-hopping college students: if everyone was already staying put, it could only mean that Abe was horrendously late.

He huddled a little more into his coat and accelerated, to the point that he was almost running. But he was close now, and after one turn to the right he was finally at the bar. It was full to the brim as expected, with people elbowing one another to get a better view of one of the three giant screens hanging from the ceiling. It took him half a minute to find where he was going, and two more to actually make his way there through the throngs of people. He started making out strands of conversation as he got closer, and rolled his eyes.

"–thinking, avoiding each other like that?" Mizutani was protesting.

"Don't look at me like that, I didn't make Hanai leave the party," Izumi retorted without even looking.

"You didn't stop him either," Mizutani pouted, then looked up. "Oh, hey Abe."

"Yo." Abe waved a hand, and slid into the seat that had been left open, facing Mizutani. "Are we talking about this again?"

"No," Hamada answered the rhetorical question while pushing a glass of beer towards Abe. "We're _still_ talking about it."

Mizutani frowned. "Because I don't get it! You can tell by looking at them that they're both miserable, so why can't they be together? If they'd just talk for a minute..."

Izumi sighed, and finally turned away from the screen. The game hadn't started yet -–probably because of the rain-- and the commentators were doing their best to keep the atmosphere as electric as possible. "It's not that simple."

In a rare display of hive thinking, Mizutani, Hamada and Abe all gave him a pointed look.

Izumi rolled his eyes. "Fine. It's not _always_ that simple."

Mizutani's expression didn't change, and Abe felt it was his duty to intervene. Just because they had managed to fix things with one long, healthy conversation (following years of miscommunication and heartbreak, which Mizutani seemed to have conveniently forgotten about), didn't mean that Hanai and Tajima could do the same.

"See it like this," he said, and put his glass down for emphasis. "You're a fifteen-year-old girl."

Izumi snorted. "Beg to differ."

Hamada groaned, and Abe rolled his eyes. While he was, to an extent, glad that Izumi had fixed things with Mizutani in what appeared to be a durable fashion, he could have done without the information overload and public displays of affection. "Congratulation on your greatly improved sex life," he said dryly, and turned back to Mizutani. "_For the sake of the demonstration_, you're a fifteen-year-old girl."

"Okay?" At least he hadn't been distracted into playing footsie with his boyfriend. They were doing that an awful lot lately.

"You see Hanai in the street, what do you think?"

Mizutani's brow furrowed in concentration, giving Abe enough time to pay some attention to the loudspeakers, which were announcing that the game would start imminently right away any minute now. "Nice-looking-guy?" Mizutani answered tentatively.

"Right. Now, you see him with Maeda-san."

This time, it was Hamada who answered, a little wistfully. "Beautiful couple?"

Abe nodded. "Right. And if you see him with Tajima?"

"Oh my god oh my god is that _Tajima Yuuichirou_ of the _Saitama Seibu Lions_?! Oh my god do I have anything he can sign-- Wait, why is he walking with that plain guy?"

All three turned to stare at Izumi, along with a few of the bystanders who hadn't been early enough to secure a seat. The squeal had been particularly strident, and coincided with an onscreen close-up of Tajima, who'd apparently been doing good enough in training to play lead-up in this game.

"I take it back," Abe said after a few seconds of silence. "_You_ are the fifteen-year-old girl."

Izumi shrugged, and took a sip from his drink. "For the sake of the demonstration."

"Uh-huh." Abe waited for the onlookers to turn their attention elsewhere, and lowered his voice just in case. "The point is, Hanai's issues aren't just about whether Tajima will sleep with him or be faithful or whatever."

"But still! They're both-"

"'They're both' nothing." Conceptually, Abe could understand how Mizutani's naive approach to everything ever could be refreshing, for about six minutes. Any longer and the guy started wearing on his nerves. "Tajima has a soft spot. Hanai has an obsession."

Thoughtful silence ensued. "Maybe we should get him to come with us one of these days?" Hamada suggested eventually. "It might be good for him."

Abe shrugged. "Fine, but I'm not getting involved in the healing sex."

Hamada choked on his beer.

"Me either! I don't want to!" Mizutani protested, and looked expectantly at his boyfriend, who shrugged.

"I'm not allowed."

"Which leaves you," Abe informed Hamada helpfully, making no move to help him breathe again.

The conclusion seemed to help by itself, anyway. "What?! Why do you guys suddenly want me to have sex with Hanai?"

"Come on, don't tell us you've never wanted to try." Abe managed to keep a straight face, which was no easy feat seeing as Hamada's face was slowly turning blue.

"You can broaden your horizons, senpai," Izumi chimed in.

"Not with Hanai!"

"So if it was someone else?" Mizutani piled on, looking as amused as Abe felt. Hamada didn't often get the brunt of being the only straight man in a group of guys who... weren't, but when it happened, it could make for an evening's worth of entertainment.

"... I'm not answering that," he answered in what he probably thought was a dignified way.

Abe nodded understandingly. "That's alright, you don't have to say it, just nod or shake your head. Is it Izumi? Give that back!"

Izumi shook his head, keeping Abe's glass out of his reach. "You don't get to drink anymore. That was gross."

"Hey! I thought you said you used to have a crush on me!" Hamada protested, the thin defense of his heterosexuality already forgotten in favor of defending his pride.

"I was thirteen at the time," Izumi pointed out. "I would have had a crush on a telephone pole if it had been nice to me. And, you know. Had a dick."

"I think you should take your own advice regarding the being gross part."

Izumi gave him a sultry smile, the glass dangling from his fingers just out of reach of even the most desperate lurch. "May I suggest you go fuck yourself, Takaya?"

"Suggest all you want, but I think your boyfriend would have something to say about your disturbing interest in my sex life." Abe raised an eyebrow at Mizutani, who didn't look too happy with the turn of the conversation.

"It's a bit late to worry about that," he grumbled. But at least he didn't seem to be hurt by the thought anymore, which, according to what Izumi had told Abe, was a definite improvement.

Hamada's head hit the table with a loud thump. "I don't want to know that. Why are you talking about it in a place where I can hear you?"

Mizutani pointed a righteous finger at him. "And _you_ can't have Kousuke either."

"I don't want him!" Hamada protested, flailing.

Izumi huffed, and made a show of turning back to the screen, where Tajima was finally making his way to the batter's box.

"Now you've hurt his feelings," Abe scolded. Hamada emitted a string of loud, frustrated vowels, and earned himself the glares of half the bar. The game was starting now, and it was clear from the electric atmosphere that all interferences would be dealt with quickly, possibly with a kick to the ass on their way out.

In the sudden silence, the pitcher threw.

Tajima swung, and missed – the groan rose from every throat in the bar.

"I might forgive you if you go get the next round," Izumi whispered to Hamada, and when he turned back to the screen his eyes caught Abe's and he smiled briefly, contentedly, as his hand moved within touching distance of Mizutani's back.

**Author's Note:**

> Illustrated by [Fujiwara_No_Seimei](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Fujiwara_no_Seimei/pseuds/Fujiwara_no_Seimei) (click to enlarge):  
> 
> 
> [ ](http://i959.photobucket.com/albums/ae73/fujiwaranoseimei/izutaka.jpg)


End file.
